Supernatural: For the Love of Sam
by Snowflake61
Summary: What would happen if Sam and Dean Winchester were to ever fall in love with the same girl? My story is about the time that Sam left when Dean killed his supernatural friend and lied to him about it. It tells what happened to Sam at this time and how he meets the girl they both eventually fall in love with.
1. Chapter 1

Sam's biceps rippled as he finished cleaning the last table in the bar. _This job is sure a hell of a lot easier than the one I've been doing_, mused Sam. _Wonder what Dean would think about it?_ The whole time he'd been bussing tables, his thoughts remained on his brother, Dean. They had not parted in good company and it bothered Sam; he worried at the fact like a sore tooth.

"Are you finished yet, Sam?" Jack, the bartender, was asking him a question and it jolted him out of his concentration on his brother.

"Yeah, Jack, just finished. Is there anything else you need me to do before I leave?"

"Naw, ya look kinda tired. It was pretty busy in here tonight. Gabe'll be back tomorrow, so you'll have help...won't be so bad." Jack was wiping off the bar top as he spoke.

"I'm okay, Jack," Sam said, smiling, "I'm young and strong, I can take it."

"Yep, bet ya can," grinned Jack mischievously, " I saw the way the lady patrons kept eyein' those biceps of yours." Jack was about 60 years old, short and stocky build, with brown hair just now turning gray at the temples. For his age, he had muscles to boast of his own, for his life thus far had not been easy and he had always worked because that's just the way he liked to do things.

Sam grinned back at Jack. "I'll bet you say that to all the new table-bussers. I'm heading on out now, what time should I be here tomorrow?"

"Noon'll be just fine, don't officially open til' 1. Be careful now, wouldn't want ya to lose those good looks to some thugs." Jack jerked his thumb toward the window, "It's dark out there."

"Well, Jack, I'm not afraid of the dark, but I'll be careful." If Jack only knew what Sam had spent his whole life doing with his brother, he wouldn't have been one bit concerned. Fighting the supernatural didn't allow for being afraid. Sam locked the door as he stepped out onto the sidewalk. It was a warm, breezy evening, not humid, but warm enough to make your skin feel good to be alive. The way the wind was blowing, however, reminded Sam of a storm coming. All the way to his apartment Sam argued with himself over whether or not he should call Dean and let him know where he was and that he was okay. Some small sliver of pride kept him from doing what he should do, the memory of what Dean had said to him before he left that day burned fresh in his mind.

"If you leave, don't expect me to beg you to come back!" Dean had shouted, his green eyes blazing with emotion. "I mean it, Sammy, this is it!"

But Sam had left anyway, and had driven for three days before he spotted Lexington on the map. Kentucky had always been one of his favorite places. He, Dean, and their dad had fought many demons there, but it was the friendliness of the people that made Sam like it so well. So, Sam had checked out the newspapers and found a nice little apartment close to the University of Kentucky, and the same day found a job in the bar around the corner. The name of the place was what caught his eye, and he knew that his old friend, Bobby, would have found it amusing. "Hugh Jass Burgers and Beers" the sign said. "Help Wanted." Sam laughed aloud as he entered the bar to ask about the job.

Jack had seemed an affable fellow, joking with Sam as he handed him the application. When Sam handed it back to him, Jack had looked it over and raised an eyebrow when he saw how long he'd been in town.

"You just passin' through?" Jack's brown eyes were piercing, as if trying to look deep inside of Sam.

"No, actually, I needed a change, so I just packed up and left Chicago, and this is where I ended up. I was born in Lawrence, Kansas." Sam was being as honest as he could be without actually being dishonest. He'd liked Jack on first sight.

Jack had handed him a towel and said, "You're hired. You can start by cleanin' those two tables."

Sam had just stared at him, open-mouthed. "Well, get busy, son, it's gettin' crowded in this place and Gabe's not here, we're short-handed."

He didn't know who Gabe was, but Sam had grabbed the towel and went to work. That had been three days ago.

Sam arrived at work before noon the next day, and Jack asked him to take some cases of beer to the stockroom refrigerator to get cold. Sam hung his jacket in the locker in the work room, grabbed the cases of beer, and hauled them to the stockroom. When he finished, he noticed a tray of shot glasses on the table next to the fridge. _Jack must have forgotten them in here_, Sam thought. He picked up the tray, slung a towel over his shoulder and walked out of the room...and walked smack into the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen in his life.

The tray flew out of Sam's hands and shot glasses crashed to the floor. They both said, "I'm sorry, you startled me," at the same time, and both bent down to clean the mess at the same time, knocking their foreheads so hard that she fell back on her bottom.

"Oh God, I'm sorry, are you hurt?...I didn't mean to hit you, you just came out of nowhere-I-couldn't-see-didn't mean...oh geez, I am so clumsy!" She looked up at Sam with the bluest eyes he had ever seen, and he was so mesmerized by them that he couldn't speak. His mouth just kinda hung open, and no sounds would come out.

The girl was probably about 23, with long, straight ash blonde hair that had been styled in the new "hair painting" streaks. She wore it parted in the middle and it fell to just exactly the top of her very perfect waist. Sam's eyes traveled back upwards to the blue eyes that were almost the color of the ocean. _I could drown in those eyes,_ Sam thought. Finally, he shook himself and words formed.

"I'm the one who should be saying I'm sorry," he smiled, the dimples on the sides of his cheeks making an appearance. You're the one sitting on your bum." _God, why did I say that, Sam thought, I must sound like an idiot. _

Blue Eyes stared back at him as she said, "My name is Gabriel Whitelaw. My family owns this place...you must be Sam Winchester, the new guy Jack told me about. Nice to meet you!" She reached for his hand to shake it and as their skin touched, Sam's hand felt like fire. Something like an electrical current ran through his body, and apparently Gabriel's too, because she didn't let go of his hand. They simply stood and stared at each other. As their eyes locked, Gabriel knew at once that Sam had secrets and was troubled. She felt it in her soul, and her instincts were always right.

Gabriel was what you could call "clairvoyant". Since she was a child, she'd been able to tell things about people just by touching them, or something they owned. It was a trait inherited from her grandmother, Irene, who was reputed to have been a witch back in the day because she could sometimes foresee the future.

But Gabriel had never felt anything like this before in her life, and the fierceness and certainty with which she felt it scared her.

Jack's voice broke through their reverie. "Gabe! Get out here, need your help with this invoice!"

Gabriel dropped Sam's hand and smiled up at him. She must have been about 5'8, but standing next to Sam's tallness made her seem smaller. "Well, I'm glad you're here, Sam. We lost two guys last week, it's hard to find good help anymore."

Sam smiled back, so dazzled by Gabriel that he could barely think of words to say. _What the hell's wrong with me? I've met pretty girls before and never reacted like an idiot!_ "Nice to meet you, Gabriel. Looking forward to working with you, " was all he could think of to say. He watched as she turned to go, noticing all the curves and the gracious way she moved. It would be hard not to notice a girl like her. She was wearing cowboy boots and a denim mini skirt, with a black t-shirt that was short enough to show a hint of tanned skin around her waist. A navel ring glittered in the light. Grabbing the last of the glasses from the floor, he followed her into the bar.

Jack caught his eye as he came out of the back, and grinned like a devil. Sam stood there for a moment, then grabbed the menus and put them on the tables. Gabriel was standing at the bar, reading an invoice Jack handed her, her long hair falling over her face. She pushed it back behind her ear, looked up at Sam and smiled. He smiled back.

"This invoice is wrong, Jack. I'm going to take it over to them and get it changed. Do you have the bill of lading for the bar stools?" Jack shook his head yes, and retrieved the ticket from under the register.

"I won't be too long, promise I'll be back to help." She grabbed her purse from the bar and looked for her keys. "Don't worry, Sam, I won't let you take all the tips tonight." She fluttered her fingers at them as she closed the door.

"You can take your jaw off the floor now, big guy," said Jack, who was still wearing that ridiculous grin. "Gabe has that effect on people, especially male people."

"Yeah, well, you didn't tell me Gabe was a girl," Sam replied. "You could have at least given me a warning."

Customers started coming in. Sam tied on the apron and started taking orders.


	2. Chapter 2

samch2

"One burger with everything, and two beers, Jack." Gabe handed the order for Jack to give to the cook. "I'm so tired, I don't think I'll last another hour." She plopped down on a bar stool to cool off for a second, picked up a cube of ice and rubbed it over her face, droplets of water sliding down her neck into the hollow between her breasts. Gabe closed her eyes, reveling in the sensation.

Sam was headed back to the bar just as Gabe sat down, and couldn't keep from staring as the ice melted over her skin. Suddenly, she opened her eyes and saw Sam looking at her through the mirror over the bar. Their eyes locked, held together with something more than just interest. Sam walked over and sat on the bar stool next to her.

"Are you okay, Gabriel?" Sam asked, not wanting to take his eyes from hers. "You look kinda tired."

"I am tired...frustrated...overworked and underpaid," she laughed as she grabbed the order Jack just placed on the bar. "Be right back, this is the last order of the night."

Sam watched her take the order, noticing how she had put her hair in a ponytail that bounced when she walked.

Jack noticed Sam watching. "She's one of the finest young ladies I know, so you better not have anything other than honorable intentions floatin' around in that head of yours."

Sam glanced back over his shoulder at Jack. "Why would you think that? I just think she's pretty, that's all. Kinda hard not to notice her."

"Just sayin'. She's had a rough time lately with her ex-boyfriend. He won't leave her alone. To tell the truth, I'm kinda worried about her." Jack placed the last call, and started wiping down the glasses and stacking them.

"What happened?" Sam suddenly wanted to know all he could about the "ex-boyfriend."

"Let's just say that Gabe found out about his two-timing before she let herself go too far and broke it off. Needless to say, old Tony didn't like the idea of seeing his meal ticket leave. And that's all she was to the asshole, he didn't even know what a diamond he had." Jack looked Sam straight in the eye. "I don't know what she ever saw in the son-of-a-bitch, anyway."

Gabriel returned to the bar. "Hey guys, would you mind if I go ahead and leave? I'm not feeling well."

"What's wrong?" asked Jack, concern showing in his eyes. He was like a grandfather to Gabriel, had known her since she was a baby and had worked for her family for twenty years.

"I'm fine, just really tired, Jack." I'll be okay, really, just gonna go home and crash. I'll be here tomorrow." Turning to Sam, she said, "You don't mind finishing the tables, do you Sam? I'll do yours tomorrow night."

Sam held her eyes with his. "No, I don't mind, and no, you won't finish mine up tomorrow night. Now, get going, go get some rest."

Gabriel gratefully took her purse and left.

Five minutes later, she came running back in, her face white with fear, anger coming off her in waves. "That asshole knifed my tires! I've got four flat tires, brand new tires that I just had put on the other day! I cannot believe he would do this!"

Jack and Sam both ran out the door to the car. Sure enough, all four tires were flat.

"Are you sure it was him?" Jack asked, knowing the answer already.

"Who else could it be? Who else hates me enough to do this?" She sighed, tears finally rolling down her cheeks. "Now what am I going to do?"

Sam didn't hesitate. "I'll take you home, Gabriel. I drove tonight because I need to stop at the store on the way home. Just let me get my stuff."

Jack stayed with her till Sam came back. They got in Sam's 68' Camaro, and waved goodbye to Jack as Sam pulled out on the road.

"You'll have to give me directions, I don't know where you live." Sam adjusted the mirror and looked sideways at Gabriel. He couldn't help noticing the soft skin of her thighs between her knees and skirt.

"Thanks for doing this, Sam. I really appreciate it. Looks like I'm gonna have to get a restraining order on Tony. I just don't understand him, he didn't want me when he had me, and when I broke up with him, he went ballistic. Thinks I have money or something. Well, I guess I have some money, but not near as much as he thinks I have. Turn left on Rt 1740, it's the next exit." She leaned back in the seat, looking out the window. No clouds were showing, just stars and moon...it was a beautiful night.

Sam glanced sideways again. "So, where'd you get a name like Gabriel? I mean, what made your parents decide on your name?"

Gabriel looked at Sam for a minute, like she was trying to decide something. Then she spoke. "My parents didn't think they could have children, and they desperately wanted a family. Mom prayed and prayed about it and one night she woke up and saw an angel standing by her bed. My mom claims that the angel Gabriel told her she was going to have me, and she was so happy that she named me after him." She watched Sam for his reaction...but Sam didn't give one.

"Your mom chose the right name. It suits you," was all he said.

Impressed because he hadn't made a big deal out of it, she touched his arm and said, "You need to turn right up ahead, and just follow the road. My house is at the end of it."

Sam's arm tingled at her touch, but he saw the turnoff she indicated, put the blinker on and smoothly turned onto the narrow blacktop road. "Do you live with your parents?" Sam wanted to know all he could about Gabriel, he was more than interested. He felt something for her, something he couldn't explain.

"Both my parents are dead. I live with my great aunt, Helen." She was looking out the window.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know." Sam felt awful, bringing up such a sad subject. He knew all about losing people you loved.

Gabriel smiled at him, her blue eyes twinkling in the dark. "It's okay, Sam. It happened a long time ago, I was only 13. They were killed in a car crash."

Silence hung between them for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, Gabriel whispered, "What about you, Sam? Where is your family?"

It was an honest question, and Sam felt he could trust her enough to tell the truth. Well, almost the truth. "My mom died in a fire when I was a baby. My dad saved me and my older brother, Dean, but he couldn't save her. Dad died about five years ago, and I've lived with Dean since then, we had a business together."

Sam pulled up and stopped in front of one of the nicest Victorian houses he'd ever seen. It was white with gable turrets, gingerbread scaffolding, and a huge wrap-around porch that boasted a gazebo on one end, complete with a swing in the middle. He got out and ran around to open the door for Gabriel, which she had already started to open.

"Gee, Sam, I don't know any gentlemen. I could get used to this," she grinned. "Come in and meet my aunt, please?" She looked at him, reaching out her hand toward his, hoping the things she was feeling about him inside did not show on her face. Ever since she'd met Sam at the bar, and touched him, she knew they were connected somehow. She also knew there were secrets both of them would have to let go of. Sam had been hurt, she sensed that.

Sam took her hand and followed her up the steps into the house.

"Aunt Helen? Where are you," Gabriel called out as she closed the door.

"I'm up here, dear. Just getting ready for bed. Who's that with you?" Aunt Helen spoke before she appeared at the top of the stairs and started down.

"This is my friend, and our new worker at the bar," Gabriel explained. "His name is Sam Winchester. Sam, this is my aunt, Helen Adams."

"I thought you drove today, dear. Where's your car?"

Gabriel's face darkened and she said, "Tony slashed all four tires on it and Sam was kind enough to bring me home."

"I told you that boy was bad news the minute I laid eyes on him." Aunt Helen's eyes flashed with anger. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, only thing hurt is my pride."

Aunt Helen took Sam's hand, said she was glad to meet him and that she appreciated him helping Gabriel out.

"It was my pleasure, Mrs. Adams." Sam shook her hand and noticed she looked at him a bit strangely.

"Oh, call me Helen, please. I haven't been Mrs. Adams for 20 years now, Fen has been gone a long time." She was still looking oddly at Sam, but still smiling. "Where are you from, Sam Winchester?"

"Originally from Lawrence, Kansas. But my brother and I traveled often with our job." We ran an investigative service." Sam winced inwardly at the thought of exactly what kind of investigative service.


	3. Chapter 3

"An investigative service? Now that sounds interesting," Helen smiled at Sam. "Won't you come into the kitchen and have some coffee?"

Sam would have liked nothing better, but he needed to get back to his apartment. He'd made up his mind to call Dean, or at least Bobby, just to let them know he was alive and well. "Could I have a rain check on that, Helen? I need to get home, have to work tomorrow." To Gabriel he said, "When you get some more tires, let me know and I'll put them on for you."

"Okay, Sam...I wish you could stay awhile," Gabriel looked at his beautiful brown eyes, and noticed how he kept pushing his hands through his hair. "Thanks again for bringing me home." She walked out onto the porch with Sam, thanked him again, and watched him as he got into the car and drove away.

What neither of them knew was that two pair of eyes were watching every move they made.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Castiel looked at the angel Gabriel standing beside him. One of heaven's best angels, Gabriel had a frown on his finely sculpted face. "What's the matter with you?" Cas wanted to know.

Gabriel slowly turned his head to look at Cas, and Cas involuntarily backed up a little. Gabriel could be intimidating sometimes. "Nothing good can come of this, Castiel. You know as well as I that Ms. Whitelaw is clairvoyant. You know that she was born with a special power, and with that power, she will be able to understand and know Sam better than anyone. They already feel an attraction for one another."

"So? What's so bad about that?" Cas wanted to know. "Sam needs some good in his life, and Gabe is perfect for him. Besides, they can help each other."

Gabriel stared intently at Castiel, unsmiling. "She will distract him from his purpose. You do remember Sam's purpose, don't you Castiel? The one where he saves the world from Satan?"

Cas turned and walked away from Gabriel. "Yes, Gabriel. I remember his purpose. I just think it won't hurt to let him have some help. Gabe's power can heal Sam, she can help him reunite with Dean. The evil is coming, Gabriel. We just have to get the Winchester boys to realize they have to be together in order to defeat Lucifer, or Satan, or Beelzebub, or whatever the hell name he's going by these days."

"Then let the consequences be on your head," Gabriel said, disappearing before Cas' eyes.

"Show-off," Cas muttered as he, too, took his leave.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

The phone was ringing! Sam almost hung up, but changed his mind.

"Hello." Bobby's voice sounded as if he was in the room with Sam. Emotion clouded Sam's voice as he spoke.

"Bobby? Bobby, this is Sam." The words were met with silence. For a moment Sam thought Bobby had hung up on him.

"Sam? Sammy, where in the hell are you? Are you okay? Why haven't you called us before now? When I get hold of you, I'll..." Bobby spluttered, not finding the right words. "You idjit!"

Sam shifted the phone to his other ear as he sat down on the couch. "Bobby, please...don't do that, just listen to me please?" The silence continued and Sam took it as a good sign and plunged ahead. "I had to get away from Dean for awhile, Bobby. After what happened, when he killed my friend...Dean lied to me, Bobby, to me! It was just too much and I had to put distance between us. I just called to tell you I'm fine, I have a place to live and a job, and I'm not fighting demons. Just tell Dean for me, will you?"

"Wait a minute, Sammy, where are you?" Bobby was practically shouting into the phone.

"I'm in Kentucky, Bobby. I'll call back again soon."

"Well, where at in Kentucky...that's a big place...Sam? Are you there?"

But Sam was already gone.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Gabriel brushed her teeth and climbed into bed, plumping up the pillows. She could not stop thinking about Sam Winchester. She kept seeing his brown eyes, the way his dimples showed up when he was smiling...the way he looked at her when he thought she wasn't looking. He was so handsome; and so nice to her. Every time she looked at him, her heart melted...but she couldn't let him know that...not yet, anyway.


	4. Chapter 4

In the thicket near the pine trees where Cas and Gabriel had stood only hours before, a different kind of angel appeared. His black, soul-less eyes stared at the beautiful Victorian home, honing in on the one window on the second floor with the candle glowing like a beacon in the night. Somehow he knew that Gabriel Whitelaw was asleep in that room, and that she was dreaming about Sam Winchester. A strong wind blew through the pines as Belial, Lucifer's second in command, departed.

* * *

Sam was having trouble sleeping, images of Gabriel Whitelaw filled his mind, his thoughts, his very soul was intent on this girl he'd known for one day. _What's wrong with me? Why is this girl keeping me awake? There's something about her, I just don't know what it is yet..._Sam drifted off into a troubled sleep.

An hour later, Sam jerked awake to the sound of a door creaking open, the same door he had locked after he came home. He remained motionless, and heard shuffling footsteps coming closer; Sam felt an evil presence...something he had not felt in a long while. Without warning, whatever it was jumped onto Sam's chest pressing him into the bed! He couldn't breathe, couldn't move, no matter how hard he tried, he could not shake the "thing" from his chest!

Sam sat up in bed abruptly, gasping for breath and sweating profusely. _What the hell was that? Was it a dream? _Sam jumped out of the bed and ran to the door, turning the knob. It was locked! He turned around and leaned against the door, willing his heart to slow down. Walking to the window, he moved the curtains just a bit and looked down onto the street below him. Nothing was there. No fanged, winged demons, no black eyes, just street lamps and a few cars going by. _It was only a dream, not a demon from hell._ Sam breathed a sigh of relief...but he did not go back to sleep that night.

* * *

The storm Sam had thought might be coming had arrived. Rain poured down from the skies, running in rivulets on the windows. Lightning flashed and thunder boomed, the rain showing no signs of letting up soon.

Sam was already at work when Gabriel came in. She was wearing a red plaid sleeveless shirt, gathered at the middle with a little flare of material at the hip, and a pair of black jeans tucked into her cowboy boots. She sought and found Sam's eyes and smiled at him. He smiled back. _I've missed her. I've only been away from her for 12 hours and I missed her! _

"Hi Sam! My aunt brought me into town earlier so I could get my tires replaced. She also had them install a car alarm so maybe nothing like that will happen again."

"I would've put the tires on for you, Gabriel." Sam picked up a tray full of beer mugs and started stacking them behind the bar.

"I know you would have, Sam, but Aunt Helen insisted on the car alarm, too, and when she insists on something, you might as well give in. I've never known a more stubborn woman in my life!"

"You got that right," Jack said as he put new whiskey bottles on the shelf. "Helen would argue a black sheep was white, even if she saw it in front of her."

"Oh, now Jack...you know you love Aunt Helen!" Gabriel laughed, and the sound was musical to Sam.

He rolled his eyes at himself, still disbelieving what was right there in front of him...he had feelings for this girl with an angel's name. "Jack, you didn't tell me you were smitten with Gabriel's aunt."

Jack's face turned bright red and he spluttered, "I am not smitten...just telling you she is a stubborn woman..."

Gabriel hugged Jack and kissed him on the cheek. "Don't worry, Sam and I won't tell your secret."

"Aw, hell, you two are just plain crazy." Jack stomped off to the stockroom.

Sam stood there, watching him go. He blinked, Gabriel's voice was asking if he was okay.

"Yeah, I' m fine. Jack just reminds me of an old friend of mine. Name's Bobby Singer. About the same age as Bobby, too, and stubborn to a fault, won't admit to anything."

"Sure describes Jack to a 'T'...I'd like to meet your friend, Bobby sometime. He sounds like someone I'd like." Sam grinned at her, making her sigh inwardly as the dimples creased his face. She wanted so much to touch those dimples, to kiss them...

* * *

None of them noticed the man enter the bar...not Jack, Sam, Gabriel, the cook...not even the other patrons. He glided in effortlessly and took a seat at the bar.

"Good Evenin', what can I get you?" Jack walked over to the man who had just sat down.

The man was a stranger, Jack had never seen him in the bar before. He waited for the man to answer.

"I'll have a whiskey on the rocks," replied the stranger, removing his hat and shaking the rain from it. "Not good weather out there today at all."

"Nope, not good at all. Not gonna get any better any time soon, either." Jack nodded at the TV, where Flash Flood Warnings were being shown at the bottom of the screen. " Jack set the whiskey down in front of the stranger and turned to leave.

Gabriel just finished cleaning table three, and glanced out the window at the rain. _It's as if all heaven is crying, _she thought. _If it doesn't stop raining it will surely flood._

"Looks like you got your tires fixed," a sarcastic voice snarled behind her.

Gabriel turned and looked at Tony, who'd just come in the door. "No thanks to you. Why'd you want to do something like that, Tony?"

"You think you can tell me to hit the road and it be over, just like that?" Tony snapped his finger close to Gabriel's face. "I guess you don't know me at all. I don't give up what's mine easily."

"I've never given you a reason to believe that I belong to you. We dated a few months at best, Tony...nothing more serious. Apparently you didn't want me because if you'll remember I came to your place one morning to pick you up and a strange woman answered the door in a bath towel. That was enough for me." Gabriel tried to move past him, but Tony stepped in front of her.

"Oh, no...no, you don't get off that easy, " Tony had a nasty smile on his face. "That was just a thing, nothing to me. You know I love you."" Tony grabbed Gabriel by the arms and tried to kiss her.

"Get off me, you big jerk!" Gabriel shook free and slapped Tony squarely across the face. "I'm not yours, I never was, now leave me the hell alone!" People in the bar were looking at them now.

Sam came out of the stockroom just as Gabriel slapped the man across the face. He didn't know who it was, but if he had to guess, he would say it was Tony, the asshole ex-boyfriend. Then the guy made a big mistake: he slapped Gabriel back, bloodying her lip and almost knocking her down. Sam was across the room in seconds! He grabbed Tony, turned him around and hit him in the jaw. Tony was strong because he didn't go down, and he countered with a punch of his own. By the time the patrons had moved out of the way and Jack came running over with the little baseball bat he kept under the bar, both Sam and Tony were rolling on the floor, hitting each other. Tony broke free and kicked Sam hard in the stomach, causing him to double over on the floor.

What happened next seemed like it was in slow motion. Gabriel was standing on the other side of Tony and she saw what no one else could see...Tony pulling a switchblade from his belt. Sam was standing, and getting ready to punch Tony again when he lunged at Sam with the knife.

"Noooo! You can't hurt him, Tony, nooo!" Gabriel screamed and in that second the knife flew out of Tony's hand and clattered across the floor. Sam hit Tony so hard he heard the bone crack in his nose, and Tony fell to the floor, unmoving. Gabriel ran to Sam, tears in her eyes, wiping the blood from his face.

"Oh Sam, I am so sorry! I didn't mean for this to happen." Gabriel's voice shook with emotion. "Are you okay?" She was still dabbing at the cuts on his face.

Sam took the towel and held her. "I'm okay, Gabriel, it's going to be okay. Calm down."

The patrons were going back to their seats and Jack was on the phone dialing 911. The stranger watched Sam and Gabriel closely. He had seen Tony produce the knife and swing it toward Sam...he had seen an unseen force knock the knife from Tony's hand at the same time Gabriel screamed. Standing , Belial put on his hat and threw a ten dollar bill on the counter. He left as he came in, unnoticed by all. He'd gotten what he came for.


End file.
